3 Answers

flesh (flsh)n.1. a. The soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate, covering the bones and consisting mainly of skeletal muscle and fat.

b. The surface or skin of the human body.

2. The meat of animals as distinguished from the edible tissue of fish or fowl.

3. Botany The pulpy, usually edible part of a fruit or vegetable.

4. Excess fatty tissue; plumpness.

5. a. The body as opposed to the mind or soul.

b. The physical or carnal nature of humankind.

c. Sensual appetites.

6. Humankind in general; humanity.

7. One's family; kin.

8. Substance; reality: "The maritime strategy has an all but unstoppable institutional momentum behind it . . . that has given force and flesh to the theory" (Jack Beatty)

The epidermis ,dermis/ cutis

flesh |fle sh |
noun
the soft substance consisting of muscle and fat that is found between the skin and bones of an animal or a human : she grabbed Anna's arm, her fingers sinking into the flesh.
• this substance in an animal or fish, regarded as food : boned lamb flesh | [in combination ] a flesh-eater.
• the pulpy substance of a fruit or vegetable, esp. the part that is eaten : halve the avocados and scrape out the flesh.
• fat : he carries no spare flesh.
• the skin or surface of the human body with reference to its color, appearance, or sensual properties : she gasped as the cold water hit her flesh.
• ( the flesh) the human body and its physical needs and desires, esp. as contrasted with the mind or the soul : I have never been one to deny the pleasures of the flesh.
• flesh color.
verb
1 [ intrans. ] ( flesh out) put weight on : he had fleshed out to a solid 220 pounds.
• [ trans. ] ( flesh something out) add more details to something that exists only in a draft or outline form : the theorists have fleshed out a variety of scenarios.
3 [ trans. ] [often as n. ] ( fleshing) remove the flesh adhering to (a skin or hide) : after fleshing, the hide is soaked again.
PHRASES
all flesh all human and animal life.
go the way of all flesh die or come to an end.
in the flesh in person rather than via a telephone, a movie, the written word, or other means : they decided that they should meet Alexander in the flesh.
lose flesh archaic become thinner.
make someone's flesh creep (or crawl) see make someone's skin crawl at skin .
one flesh used to refer to the spiritual and physical union of two people in a relationship, esp. marriage : my body is his, his is mine: one flesh. [ORIGIN: with biblical allusion to Gen. 2:24.]
put flesh on ( the bones of) something add more details to something that exists only in a draft or outline form : he has yet to put flesh on his “big idea.”
put on flesh put on weight.
sins of the flesh archaic or humorous sins related to physical indulgence, esp. sexual gratification.
DERIVATIVES
fleshed |fle sh t| adjective : [usu. in combination ] a white-fleshed fish.
fleshless adjective
ORIGIN Old English fl?sc, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vlees and German Fleisch.

2 [ trans. ] Brit. give (a hound or hawk) a piece of the flesh of game that has been killed in order to incite it.
• poetic/literary initiate (someone) in bloodshed or warfare : he fleshed his troops by indulging them with enterprises against the enemy's posts.